Yoga and asthma

[Carakraft]

Has anyone tried yoga and has it helped your breathing?

[Minushabens Asthma Captain]

I'm not going to lie to you, I can hardly get my legs to walk normally, never mind sticking it around the back of my head

I'd be interested to know if it works though - I do suffer with very problematic muscle weakness & lower leg swelling, probably due to steroids & other medication. Exercise doesn't help (& I can't do it anyway) but I keep hoping there might be a way forward.

[Carakraft in reply to Minushabens]

I know it is very difficult to exercise at times with everything we have going on with our bodies!

My body doesn't bend very well either but I am going to give it a shot and will let you know how it goes😉

Downward dog here I come 😂

[Daringtobreath]

I find it makes me feel better overall. It stretches out all the kinks and relaxes me which I think indirectly helps.

[Carakraft in reply to Daringtobreath]

Great tip and advice. I start my first class tonight and am really excited! Have you done yoga for a while?

[Daringtobreath in reply to Carakraft]

I've been sick three times this winter so I haven't done it consistently. That's my goal though because I feel SO much better when I do and it also helps make me stronger which I need. I sleep better when I do yoga!

[Carakraft in reply to Daringtobreath]

I am sorry to hear that you have been sick and hope things are getting better. This time of year is always a challenge for me to NOT get sick🙂

If the class goes well, maybe I can also do my yoga at home too...

[Melodyp]

Yoga is great for asthma. It helps to calm me down, relax my muscles and helps me focus on good breathing techniques.

[Mahod Asthma Captain]

LOL!! I read through replies before responding. I can empathize with joints and muscles that scream! Ribs and midback with bronchospasms... not fun.

I use a combination of gentle ( no pretzel) stretches + core strengthening exercises. And a floor ball for streching. Core to rebuild muscles weakened by infections and flares.

I find doing them throughout the day works best for me.

Happy to see this being discussed.

Thanks!!

Mary

[Carakraft in reply to Mahod]

I ❤️ yoga! My first class went well. I wasn’t as bendy as most but felt relaxed and inspired when I left...

Mary- you are so right on core strength!

[Mahod Asthma Captain in reply to Carakraft]

Glad it went well!! The best part is feeling good and somehow in control.

Core strength is critical,I learned when pneumonia and virus hit muscles. Geesh, coughing managed to dislocate 7 ribs. I had been so diligent with Pilates and strong. That went South!!

I was dx with hypogammaglobulinemia - primary immune defiency- nearly 3 years ago. This when sent to ER by doc. Double pneumonia. The PID explains a life time of bronchitis, pneumonias, sinus infections. I just thought that was my normal and pushed through.

The ER and hospital stay changed that!

Fast forward. Infusions every 4 weeks to replace gamma globulins and give me some resistance! Working! But lungs suffered the onslaught of infections. Dx asthmatic bronchitis, bronchiectasis. Nodes and granulomous in lungs recently dx as Blastomycoses. It spread to vocal cords and appreared to be early cancer. Nope! Blastomycoses grew within the cord. KTP laser surgery removed tumour. Now on strong antifungal. Looks like for 6 months to a year.

I was so happy when they found the Blastomycoses.. the cause of continued infections and damage.

All is good now. With tumour out I have a better airway and not rebound cycle of vocal cord issues triggeribg asthma, triggering bronchospasms, then vocal cords inflame and we'll of course, bronchitis,pneumonitis or pneumonia.

This has been a journey. Faith keeps me positive and downright stubborn attitude!!

I really can't believe how much better I continue to feel.

Stopped fussing at myself needing daily routine of nebulizer treatments and prophylaxis antibiotics and all the other good stuff that goes with not so healthy lungs.

This site has helped me so much!!! Thanks for being here!!!!

Love regaining my life and better control of asthma!

Keep stretching and BREATHE with those.

[Jjude1003]

I'm a runner and pretty aggressive exerciser normally so not being able to exercise makes me miserable when my asthma is bad. I've discovered yoga more because it is one of the few things I'm able to do when I struggle. There are different types of yoga. When struggling with breath try yin or hatha as they are less active than vinyassa. I have also found some really good 'yoga for asthma' videos on youtube that give you poses to help open up your chest. If you are new to yoga and/or out of shape look for beginner or gentle classes. It's a great way to get your full body moving and stretching and the meditation aspect also is beneficial in a lot of ways.

[Carakraft in reply to Jjude1003]

Thanks for all the great suggestions! I am new to yoga and meditation and will look at YouTube videos 🙂

[Mahod Asthma Captain]

Jjude, thanks for great tips. Checking out utube today.

[Hidden]

It help with breathing I do pilartis as well both do help with breathing

[HikesWithDogs]

I have not tried yoga for asthma but for upper back pain. I got a video type appropriate for 40 to 70 year olds and it made my upper back pain worse. I told my chiropractor that I didn’t think I was flexible enough for yoga and he laughed saying that is exactly who yoga is for. He tried to convince me to try hot yoga but it did not appeal to me at all. I saw one of the posts above says there are yoga videos on YouTube just for asthmatics so I might look into that. When I was first diagnosed at the age of 9 my doctor did have me do some upper body stretches that might actually be yoga poses but I never found them helpful. Living with asthma was always a struggle until LABAs came out.

[Carakraft]

I have definitely become more limber with my yoga classes over the past couple of weeks! Baby steps for me😉

I have not tried hot yoga either but maybe others have and can share their experience. Having asthma my entire life, I totally agree that asthma treatments are so good now.